Kenya Railways to Resume Overnight Train Service on Nairobi–Kisumu Route

Kenya Railways Corporation has announced that it will resume train services for passenger and freight between Nairobi and Kisumu, providing an alternative to road and air transport for passengers to and from Kisumu City.

Kenya Railways said the overnight train gets to the lakeside city of Kisumu before sunrise after leaving Nairobi at 6.30 pm, providing travellers with an early start.

The Kenya Railways Kisumu Safari train makes the trip from Nairobi every Friday with stopovers in Line Saba, Kibera, Satellite, Lenana, Dagoreti, Kikuyu, Muguga, Limuru, Uplands, Matathia, Kijabe, Longonot, Naivasha, Nakuru, Njoro, Molo, Elburgon, Fort Ternan, Londiani, Muhoroni, Miwani, Chemelil, Kibigori and Kibos stations before arriving at the lakeside city at 6.30 am.

Kenya Railways Service Timelines Between Nairobi and Kisumu

Kenya Railways said the return trip is set for every Sunday with the train departing the New Kisumu Railway station at 6.30 pm to arrive in Nairobi at 6.35am. A first class ticket to Kisumu costs KSh 2,400 and an Economy class ticket costs KSh 900.

The Corporation added that the operational restart will also benefit freight customers and regional trade by improving the speed and frequency of cargo deliveries

“This will ease freight movement between Central and Western Kenya and will enhance cross-border trade with Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider East African region,” Kenya Railways said.

The resumption of services marks a return to full operations on the Kisumu line, which serves both passengers and businesses.

The route forms a critical link between Nairobi with Western Kenya as well as neighbouring countries, providing a suitable alternative to road transport for long-distance travellers and bulk freight.

Kenya Railways said return of the overnight services between Nairobi and Kisumu guarantees reliability for travellers heading to and from Kisumu. Passengers to Kisumu are assured of a seamless journey to and from the Lakeside city, bring with it predictability back to weekend travel.

Kenya Railways added that the operational restart will also benefit freight customers and regional trade by improving the speed and frequency of cargo deliveries.

The Kenya Railways Cargo services is expected to ease freight movement between Central and Western Kenya as well as boost cross-border trade with Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider East African region.

Kisumu, an Inland port city in Western Kenya is 341.6 Km away from Nairobi, a 6-hour drive and just a 50 minutes’ flight away from Nairobi.

In readiness for resumption of train services between Nairobi and Kisumu, the Corporation has already done successful test rides on the Uplands–Longonot–Kijabe Metre Gauge Railway corridor

This signals renewed readiness to restore services along the critical corridor.

The test ride was led by KR Managing Director, Philip Mainga, accompanied by senior management and members of the media, highlighting the strategic importance of the line and the confidence of leadership in the rehabilitation works undertaken.

The exercise confirmed the safety, integrity and operational soundness of the restored infrastructure after months of intensive rehabilitation necessitated by severe washaways caused by unprecedented rains in 2024.

Works carried out included embankment stabilisation, bridge strengthening, drainage reconstruction and track realignment to improve the corridor’s resilience to extreme weather conditions.

Speaking during the test ride, Mainga described the milestone as a demonstration to the Corporation’s technical capacity and commitment to service continuity.

“This successful test ride confirms that the Uplands–Longonot–Kijabe corridor has been restored to a safe and reliable standard. It demonstrates Kenya Railways ability to respond decisively to infrastructure challenges while safeguarding a network that is critical to trade, mobility and regional connectivity,” said Mainga.

The old Uplands–Longonot–Kijabe metre gauge line forms a key link within the network, supporting passenger movement from Nairobi to Kisumu and freight movement from the Port of Mombasa to Kenya’s hinterland and regional markets across East and Central Africa.

Its restoration reinforces Kenya Railways broader strategy of maintaining an integrated, resilient, and efficient rail system.

The successful test ride was undertaken by Kenya Railways engineers, technical teams and support staff who worked under challenging terrain and weather conditions to deliver the project.

As the Corporation prepares for the progressive resumption of services along the corridor, the test ride ensures safety and reliability to all passengers and cargo.

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